What is pentazocine?
Pentazocine is narcotic pain medication
Pentazocine is used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is also used as part of anesthesia for
surgery.
Pentazocine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking pentazocine?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to pentazocine.
Pentazocine may be habit-forming and
should be used only by the person it was
prescribed for
. Pentazocine should never be shared with another person, especially
someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where
others cannot get to it.
If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use
this medication. Before using pentazocine, tell your doctor if you have
-
liver or kidney disease;
-
a history of head injury or brain tumor;
-
epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
-
heart disease, high blood pressure, recent heart attack;
-
asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, or other breathing disorders;
-
a dependence on narcotic pain medications;
-
mental illness; or
-
a history of drug or alcohol addiction.
Pentazocine may be harmful to an unborn baby. It could also cause
addiction or withdrawal symptoms in a newborn if the mother uses pentazocine during pregnancy.
Before you use this medication, tell your doctor if you are pregnant.
Pentazocine is sometimes used during early labor, but using it just before childbirth can cause
breathing problems in a newborn.
Pentazocine may pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this
medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of this medication.
How should I take pentazocine?
Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you.
Never use pentazocine in
larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor.
Follow the
directions on your prescription label. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in
relieving your pain.
Pentazocine is given as an injection under the skin, into a muscle, or into a vein. Your doctor,
nurse, or other healthcare provider will give you this injection. You may be shown how to inject your
medicine at home. Do not self-inject this medicine if you do not fully understand how to give the
injection and properly dispose of used needles and syringes.
Do not mix pentazocine with other medicines in the same syringe or IV line.
Use each disposable needle only one time. Throw away used needles in a puncture-proof
container (ask your pharmacist where you can get one and how to dispose of it). Keep this container
out of the reach of children and pets.
If you are giving pentazocine as an injection under the skin, use a different place on your body
each time you give yourself an injection. Your care provider will show you the places on your body
where you can safely inject the medication. Do not inject into the same place two times in a row.
Pentazocine can cause damage to the skin and underlying tissues or muscles if it is injected multiple
times into the same skin area.
Do not stop using pentazocine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal
symptoms such as stomach pain, fever, runny nose, watery eyes, anxiety, or restless feeling. Talk to
your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication.
Store pentazocine at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose of pentazocine?
Since pentazocine is often used as needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are
using the medication regularly, use the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for
the next dose, skip the missed dose and wait until your next regularly scheduled dose.
Do not
use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Where can I get more information about pentazocine?
Your pharmacist has information about pentazocine written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of pentazocine?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic
reaction:
hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
-
skin or muscle changes, or a hard lump where the medicine was
injected;
-
confusion, hallucinations;
-
feeling like you might pass out;
-
weak or shallow breathing; or
-
increased blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision,
trouble concentrating, chest pain, numbness, seizure).
Less serious side effects may include:
-
mild stinging from the injection;
-
drowsiness, dizziness, headache, ringing in your ears;
-
feeling restless or excited;
-
nausea, vomiting, constipation;
-
sleep problems (insomnia), strange dreams;
-
warmth or redness under your skin;
-
blurred vision;
-
sweating; or
-
mild itching or skin rash.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your
doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about pentazocine?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to pentazocine.
Before using pentazocine, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, a history of head
injury or brain tumor, heart disease, high blood pressure, recent heart attack, asthma or other breathing
disorders, mental illness, or a history of drug or alcohol addiction.
Pentazocine may be habit-forming and
should be used only by the person it was
prescribed for
. Pentazocine should never be shared with another person, especially
someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where
others cannot get to it.
Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you.
Never use pentazocine in
larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor.
Tell your
doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.
Do not stop using pentazocine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal
symptoms such as stomach pain, fever, runny nose, watery eyes, anxiety, or restless feeling. Talk to
your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication.
Avoid drinking alcohol while using pentazocine. Alcohol may increase some of the side
effects of pentazocine.
Pentazocine can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if
you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
What should I avoid while taking pentazocine?
Avoid drinking alcohol while using pentazocine. Alcohol may increase some of the side
effects of pentazocine.
Pentazocine can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if
you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or
allergy medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They
can add to sleepiness caused by pentazocine.
What other drugs will affect pentazocine?
Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:
-
sibutramine (Meridia);
-
phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine),
fluphenazine (Prolixin), mesoridazine (Serentil), perphenazine (Trilafon), prochlorperazine
(Compazine), promethazine (Phenergan, Adgan, Anergan 50, Pentazine), thioridazine (Mellaril),
or trifluperazine (Stelazine); or
-
other narcotic medication such as codeine, fentanyl (Actiq,
Duragesic, Ionsys), hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Palladone),
levorphanol (Levo-Dromoran), levomethadyl (Orlaam), meperidine (Demerol), methadone
(Dolophine, Methadose), morphine (Kadian, MS Contin, Oramorph), nalbuphine (Nubain),
oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet, Roxicodone), oxymorphone (Opana), or propoxyphene
(Darvocet, Darvon).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with
pentazocine. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins,
minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication
without telling your doctor.
What happens if I have an overdose of pentazocine?
